Prabowo: ASEAN must strengthen citizen protection and advocate for peace

There will be no prosperity without peace. There will be no peace without dialogue and cooperation.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has stressed that ASEAN needs to strengthen the protection of its citizens and maintain regional peace to address the current global dynamics.

“The protection of our citizens must remain the top priority,” said President Prabowo during the plenary session of the 48th ASEAN Summit held at the Mactan Expo in Cebu, Philippines, quoted from a press release in Jakarta on Friday.

The President explained that many ASEAN member countries have thousands of citizens abroad. Therefore, coordination and close cooperation among countries in the region are required through a joint approach to strengthen the handling of citizens, especially in emergency situations.

In addition to citizen protection issues, the President also highlighted the importance of respecting the mandate of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping forces. He asserted that the safety of peacekeeping personnel must be respected by all parties involved in conflicts.

“We have lost Indonesian soldiers serving with the United Nations, and we demand accountability that peacekeeping duties must be respected by all parties,” the President emphasised.

On that occasion, Prabowo also appreciated the solidarity of ASEAN countries in assisting the evacuation process of citizens. He cited Singapore’s offer of cooperation to support the evacuation process if an emergency occurs.

“In protecting our civilians, ASEAN must speak with one voice,” he said.

The President assessed that dialogue and collaboration remain ASEAN’s main strength in facing global challenges, given that peace is the primary foundation for the prosperity of communities in the region.

“There will be no prosperity without peace. There will be no peace without dialogue and cooperation,” said President Prabowo.